The Reeducation of Nakanishi Ryuta
by TheLovelyDetective
Summary: In chapter two, Watari & Roger talk turkey, L & Ryuta play chess, and.. hey, is that Mello & Matt? LxOC. Don't be scared, come check it out! Leave a review! XD
1. Acquaintance

A sound resembling church bells rang outside the halls of the great, estate-like property in Winchester, England. This property was known to most: not conceivably able to hide its grandeur from the rest of the area, nor able to avoid the curious and perplexed glances of passers-by unsure of what exactly its purpose was. What was known, is that it was apparently one of the most high profile adoption agencies in all of Europe, which wouldn't be all too curious if there was anyone in the county who could recount an instance of actually seeing any of the children get taken to a new home. But, as things tend to go, people looked the other way and paid no mind to the orphanage's occupants.

"_I hate this stupid school."_ thought the young boy with the shaggy dark hair, sitting slumped at his desk.

One of those occupants, however, would have very much liked someone to come rescue him from this place. This place, The Wammy's House.

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"_Another miserable England afternoon." _thought the boy as he gazed longingly through the proverbial iron bars of the windows keeping him from the life he knew had to be out there. It was raining, as it often did. There was hardly any purpose to even look out the window - the fog was stereotypically of the pea soup variety, the view beyond that not really much to look at in the first place.

He knew there was a voice talking, no - _lecturing _- somewhere. He just didn't bother to pay much attention. The boy, with his pale complexion and the generally apathetic expression that he carried with him like a sidearm, could care less about the work and concepts that were being crammed down his throat at the moment. Induction, ratiocination, syllogistics… An alphabet soup's worth of crap he simply did not care about.

"Pay attention." said the instructor, bluntly. He said this in a manner that led you to assume he wouldn't have to say it twice.

"Sorry, Roger." said the child, roughly 15 or so. "I suppose I was off daydreaming again just now."

"Daydreaming is just one of the reasons you're here. It's like you've been _trying_ to underperform lately and quite frankly, I can't for the life of me understand why."

"I don't want to be here." The boy opted for deflection. "This 'school' claims to value the science of reason above all else, when any way you look at it, there is NO logic to any of this. We're just kids, not detectives. The choice should rightfully be ours to leave if we wish."

Roger took a deep breath. He knew there was a point to having these children here in the first place; thus trying to win a debate with arguably the most untapped potential of the bunch would be only begging for a fight in an already losing battle. He exhaled. "Look, I understand how ya feel, boy. I do. I've seen too many of you go before your time and how, inside, we all lose when that happens. How many times have we gone over the tragedy of B to you kids? However." He paused, wanting to be sure he had his words straight before stepping over the cliff that was trying to sway this particular child's mind. "With your mind, and your skill, you have far too much to offer this world to simply throw it away because 'you don't want to.'"

"But-"

"But nothing. Look, the reality of the matter is this, my boy. You don't have anywhere else to go. We are your family now, and you have a vast, uncharted future that lays before you. What you're feeling is only natural."

The boy felt a trigger go off in his head, and his demeanor quickly darkened in response. "What I'm feeling is not in your realm of comprehension, Roger. You will NOT speak to me with that same tone you use with Matt, or Mello, or -"

"Enough. Matt aside, troublemaker that he often is, if you cared half as much about the directive as Mello then I wouldn't even have to have this conversation with you right now. Mello can put his occasional immaturity aside and look at the gravity of the bigger picture for what it is. He's accepted the responsibility, he _wants _it." Roger backed off, cooler heads prevailing. "Now look, it is simply not the time. He's coming. On his way as we speak. You know this, don't you? This is not the time to be putting on a bloody spectacle for the whole school to witness."

"What?" For the first time, the boy was taken aback. "Who's coming?"

"_He_ is. And after informing him of your current… _displeasure_ with the way things are around here right now and the dilemma it leaves _me_ in as a result, he has decided that he'll be taking a special interest in you while he's here."

"_Him? Taking a special interest in me? Why? It doesn't make any…"_

Before he could finish, Roger's cell phone rang. He picked it up quickly, after one ring.

"This is Roger. Ah, yes, everything is ready. Yes. I understand, see you shortly." The phone clicks shut. "Well, I certainly hope you're ready. They're here. Come along, now."

The pair walked out of Roger's classroom and down the dimly-lit hallways of the high-ceilinged building. Down the master staircase and just beyond the double oak doors that stood before them was the man who the boy was sure would understand him. Surely, if he is the champion of rationale that he is purported to be, he will no doubt see things his way and help him get out of this virtual prison.

Roger opened the doors, and there stood two men. The first, elderly and congenial looking, familiar to the young boy, stood in his suit and tie holding an umbrella overhead for the both of them. Watari. The same Watari that had been there like a grandfather for him as well when he was younger. Mentored him. He liked Watari, who was probably the only one there he could say that about and mean it.

He had yet to be formally acquainted to the awkward young man standing beside him.

He was bizarre, yet the boy couldn't help but shake the feeling that his mannerisms were familiar. Too familiar. Had he seen them somewhere before? Were they not unlike his own "tics"? He found it not unlike staring at a fun house mirror, seeing all your quirks and characteristics before you, only exaggerated tenfold.

A moment of silence passed the four of them until the ill-postured young man with the invading grey eyes poked his head almost cartoonishly out from underneath the umbrella with what appeared to be a boxed cake in his hands.

"Nakanishi Ryuta, I presume… Or do you prefer R?" said the wunderkind detective with a bit of a ribbing tone.

"_You know damn well what I prefer."_

"Either way, a pleasure." he said as he handed Ryuta the cake he was holding. "I hope you'll enjoy this."

"Um, thanks…?" said Ryuta, politely handing the sweets over to Roger.

"You may call me Ryuzaki if you wish, but around here, I am perhaps better known as L."

That last bit sent an odd chill down Ryuta's spine. You hear enough stories about someone and there comes a point where you don't even believe the person exists anymore. But here he was, _the world's greatest detective. _right in front of his very eyes.

L stepped through the doorway past Ryuta and Roger, Watari right behind. "I do hope you're ready, Nakanishi Ryuta."

"_Ready? Ready for what?"_

"Hm? I assume you're wondering what exactly you should be ready for." L quickly surmised.

"_I'm showing tells already? I must be, or else there's no other explanation than he can simply read minds. He really is good."_

Roger cut in before L could elaborate. "I'm going to leave the two of you to get acquainted. Ryuzaki, as you know it is always a pleasure to see you return here safe and sound. I do believe Watari and I have some matters to attend to, so if you'll excuse us…"

"Thank you, Roger. Watari, some tea please before you get down to business." He turned his attention back to Ryuta. "So, Nakanishi-kun, would you care for some tea as well? You didn't seem too eager for the cake I brought."

"Tea would be fine, thank you, and my apologies. The cake was a very nice gesture, Ryuzaki-_sama. _However, sweets are not exactly a food group that sits particularly well with me."

"Is that so?" The concept was an obviously inconceivable one on L's part. "But I have heard that you are one of the exceptional thnkers around here, Nakanishi-kun. If that is so, does the sugar not allow your brain to work faster?"

Ryuta suddenly felt like he was in the examination room with the chief of medicine. Every flaw, every chink in the armor was sure to be exposed with this man around. It was not a comfortable feeling to say the least.

"How to put it…" He felt for the words. "It kind of feels like my mind is operating on fast-forward in general. If I were to overindulge in sweets, it would only be pushed into hyperdrive, so I eat heavier foods to make my mind slow down and catch up with itself. Fatty foods, high protein, anything that would make an average mind slow and lethargic allows me to relax and concentrate on the task at hand. However," he said as he started to crack a smile for the first time all day, "by the looks of our physiques we must be doing something right if we're not gaining a whole lot of weight!"

L was silent as Ryuta quietly chuckled to himself in an effort to break the tension. The elder detective sat in his chair, wide-eyed and hunched in his trademark position as he took in this new protégé, the tip of his thumb pressed up boyishly against his bottom lip.

"Well, either way, no need to apologize about the cake." he finally said. "One thing I can assure you with 100% certainty is that no cake in my presence will ever go to waste."

Watari, with his ever-impeccable timing, arrived, tea in tow, before things became anymore awkward for poor Ryuta.

"Your tea, as requested, Ryuzaki."

"Thank you very much, Watari."

Watari turned before he left the room. "Ryuzaki, perhaps it would be beneficial for Ryuta if you shared some of your own troubles from your days here. I imagine Ryuta would benefit greatly to hear such a first-hand testimonial from someone who's gone through it already."

L clammed up again, this time without the sheepishly-friendly look on his face. Watari often had a habit of revealing more than what was necessary.

"Indeed." he eventually spoke up. "If you'll excuse us."

"Of course, Ryuzaki." With a short dip of a bow, Watari about-faced and proceeded back into the other chamber.

"Yes, as Watari alluded to, I myself was not always very fond of this place either, Nakanishi-kun. I always felt very alone here, very distant. Is this similar to how you've felt?"

"Mhmm." Ryuta was tight-lipped this time. Now he was _trying_ not to give anything away, not to mention he didn't want another attempt at a joke sailing over Ryuzaki's head again.

L mused. "You needn't worry, Nakanishi-kun. I am not analyzing you as a means to judge you. I am merely observing you in order to better understand just where the root problem is located." He took the teapot precariously between his thumb and index finger and proceeded to pour two cups.

"Enough." Ryuta stood in defiance. He expected this from Roger, this brand of patronization, but not from L. "I'm not some child who simply needs a good guidance counselor to psychobabble his problems away, nor am I one of Near's puzzles to take apart and put back together again just for the sake of the challenge. I thought you would be the one person who could understand but obviously your success as L has hindered your hindsight. I suppose globetrotting around the world gallivanting as the high and mighty world's greatest detective has managed to inflate even YOUR most rational of egos."

To look at L, one would assume he had just missed the tirade entirely. He sat there, quietly, preferring instead to focus on his sugar cube-to-tea ratio. The sugar cubes were winning in lanslide fashion. Ryuta really had had enough, and turned away to retire to his room.

"It's still lonely." L said very matter-of-factly. Ryuta was already halfway out the door, but stopped to hear what he had to say. "I apologize, Nakanishi-kun. This sort of consolation has never been my strong suit. I won't lie to you, my life has only grown more difficult and more complex since I've taken on the role of L. I am perhaps awkward in my relationships with others because I am not afforded the luxury of having them. Again, I won't lie to you, I do have my own selfish reason for agreeing to insert myself in your situation here as I have."

"Please, do enlighten me."

"You sounded like what you needed was a friend."

"And what does that have to do with you?" Ryuta questioned. "You know, that's what I didn't get when this all started to unravel. You have INTERPOL at your beck and call, countless pressing cases… What brings a man like that halfway across the world for what I'm sure was relayed to you as merely a whiny problem child with authority issues?"

"Because you intrigue me, Nakanishi-kun. You are unlike the other students here, in a manner that seems to remind Watari of myself. He strongly urged my assistance in calming your fears, which is why I'm now here before you. That, and…" L trailed off.

"And…?"

"And… because I too could use a friend right now."

Ryuta was stunned. Never had he expected the great L to show such vulnerability. Maybe it wasn't as effortless as he always made it seem. For the first time, Ryuzaki's posture made sense to him. To Ryuta, it wasn't just another of his eccentric idiosyncricies anymore, now it served as the perfect metaphor of the weight L has had to carry on his shoulders this whole time, never able to show the slightest grimace of strain from the pressure. A 23 year old entrusted to solve the crimes no one else could. It all started to make sense…

"So what do you say? Do you like tennis? We could play some sometime if you'd like." This made Ryuta smile. "As many talents as Watari has, his backhand isn't quite one of them."

"I'd like that, Ryuzaki-sama. I'll be looking forward to it." Ryuta turned to walk back to his room.

"Thank you, Nakanishi-kun."

"Please, call me Ryuta."


	2. Games

Watari stepped into the office he had once called his own, Roger obediently in tow behind him. He paused momentarily as he passed through the doorway, reflecting nostalgically upon all the times that were spent here, both the good and the bad, and all of the various capricious little rugrats that had stormed both in and out of this institution at some point. This "house" of his truly was his life's work, his dream, laid out before him. Solid to the touch. Roger sat down at his desk and started organizing paperwork as Watari gazed wistfully out the window and at the world outside.

The world he had dedicated his life preparing these special children for.

Its citizens, whom he had dedicated his life preparing these special children to protect.

"It's good to be back, Roger." He hadn't regretted a single minute of it.

"Well, Quillish, I suppose it does stimulate the old mind theater to be back where it all began, eh?" Roger said, feeling a hint that Watari could use the extra pep.

"Indeed." he replied, still stargazing, in a monotone that suggested he didn't actually catch whatever it was Roger had just said.

"What is it that's bothering you, sir? Is it the boy, Nakanishi? As we discussed over the phone, it really was nothing vital enough that demanded the attention of both you and Ryuzaki."

"No, Roger. Not Ryuta…" he replied, trailing off.

"Ah." said Roger, feeling a sly grin begin to creep upon him. "So this is about _your _boy then, is it? Ryuzaki seems in high spirts, sir. Well, high by his rather unorthodox standards, I'd suppose, but…"

"He's growing up, Roger. All this time I spend at his side, and still I am caught surprised to see my student become a teacher himself."

"That is indeed the parent's way, sir."

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"Thank you again, Ryuzaki-sama." Ryuta said in the reverent tone that L was finding difficult to get used to. "When I originally heard you were devoting special attention on my behalf, I assumed you were going to attempt to parent me. I appreciate your offer of friendship as opposed to that."

"Huh?" L was momentarily distracted by the donut-kebab that had beautifully made its way into his life. "Oh, it's nothing, Ryuta-kun, and please, just Ryuzaki is fine." The two were playing chess, both hunched awkwardly, and L had just decided on his move. "I'm not used to being addressed with such honorifics."

"If you insist, Ryuzaki." Ryuta made his countermove. "So no tennis? I have to admit, I was kinda looking forward to that actually. We seriously don't get enough P.E. in this place."

"As intricate of a game as tennis is, Ryuta-kun, I was hoping to get to know you on a more… cerebral level first."

That could mean a lot of things. "Fair enough."

L picked up his white knight and twiddled it back and forth between his thumb and the base of his index finger, focusing on it entirely, as if the two were having a silent conversation over what move he should make. "Those I have worked with in the past have made the mistake of assuming that what I do is but a game to me, that the people and consequences involved have no intrinsic value as far as I'm concerned. I cannot begin to stress to you how inaccurate this notion is." He moved the knight, taking one of Ryuta's pawns.

"But you _do_ treat your cases like games, don't you?" Ryuta said, taking a pawn in return.

L looked up from the game board, wide-eyed and with that devilish smile that, Ryuta surmised, came about only when L was genuinely intrigued or impressed by whatever he had just heard.

"What is your basis for the question?" L answered back, and in the process took the knight Ryuta left open with his last move. "A conclusion lacking a beginning and a middle is about as valuable as it is tangible."

"True. I guess I just think it's how I would be, in your position. They tell me we're similar in method if not necessarily skill; I guess I could see that somewhat. It's hard to take something you excel at seriously on a consistent basis. You solve so many cases rhey probably start to resemble equations to solve rather than any sort of dire situation. Turning it into a game keeps things..." He trailed off in search for the words. "I don't know, interesting." Ryuta took another pawn.

"Perhaps," he conceded, "but while your reasoning is impressive - and since we _are_ here playing chess at the moment, allow me to segue to a particular story someone once told me that will help better illustrate my point." He shifted his gaze fully to Ryuta. "A man was paying a chess grandmaster to play against him. Each game would end with the master winning. This became a regular appointment and the master was able to supplement his income rather handsomely with these games."

Ryuta nodded along, as if he wasn't having enough difficulty figuring out what his next move against a player the caliber of L should be without having to follow this story now as well.

"One day, the master arrived at the conclusion that perhaps he should let the man win a game, so as not to discourage him. After all, if the man lost interest and stopped playing, the grandmaster would surely lose this substantial income."

Ryuta finally settled on a move, and showed his obvious frustration, already knowing that it was a futile play.

"So they play again, and this time the master intentionally loses the game. After that, the man never invited the master back for another game." L makes his next move almost unconsciously, in perfect rhythm with his cadence. "Upon further inquiring from the master, the man tells him 'I wanted to beat the grandmaster and so I did. I don't need to play anymore games."

Ryuta was silent at first, opting instead to concentrate on what the least embarrassing way to lose would be before shifting his attention back to Ryuzaki. "Hm. Okay, so what's the point of the story for you?"

L's demeanor grew uncharacteristically serious. "I always play to win, Ryuta-kun. No matter the stakes." Suddenly it seemed as if Ryuta was looking at a whole different detective. "In a game, a person can play and lose without any real sort of consequence. As L, I can't afford to lose. Ever." L moved his knight a final time, and quickly fell back to his usual vacant smile. "I believe that's checkmate?"

It was incredible for Ryuta. He had never lost a game of chess in his life, and Ryuzaki, half-distracting himself no less, just went straight on through as if he were playing a different game entirely. If the board had been a stage, it would have looked like Ryuta was constantly trying to improvise his lines while the great detective just sat back and read the script of what was already written to happen.

"Hn. Good game. Don't worry though, I'll find something to beat you at before you leave." Ryuta promised. "Right now though I think I could go for a steak. Care to join me?"

"Gladly. Come, Watari has already had a cart prepared for us…"

"_He's everything they made him out to be, that's for sure."_

The pair headed down the corridor and around the corner to their mutually favorite room of the building, the dining hall. Students at Wammy's House, due to their international roster, could find the finest cuisine from every corner of the world in this room, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between.

"Watch where you're going." a voice said, bumping shoulders with Ryuta as they walked into the hall.

"What the -" Ryuta stumbled a step and spun around to put a face behind the voice that -

Mello. Figured. He was usually well-intended enough, Ryuta thought, but a little too self-serving for his own good. Never quite played well with others. The guy behind him was Matt, Mello's best - and probably only - friend. Soft-spoken usually, but there was certainly nothing soft about his language when he did speak up. Kid had the mouth of a sailor. Ryuta never really understood where one of Wammy's kids could even pick up a mouth like that. The two were inseparable more often than not.

"I said watch where you're going, lapdog!" he belted out. Matt made a half-hearted show at holding him back.

L had spent quite enough time at Wammy's in his life as it was to put up with more tried and tired schoolyard drama. "Mello-kun." he calmly scolded.

"Eru-sama!" he immediately bowed, quite low in fact given L's posture. "Forgive me for speaking freely, but this outcast has done nothing to earn your apprenticeship!"

"I'm not his -"

L stepped in again. "All these conclusions today without due diligence... Mello-kun, Ryuta-kun here is not my apprentice. We are merely getting to know one another." He leaned in closer. "We've discussed 'rationale before action' before, haven't we?"

"Yes sir. My apologies. Come on, Matt, let's go."

"Yeah." Matt said, and the two hurried off, rightfully embarrassed.

"It appears our friendship has made you somewhat of a target around here?" L quickly asked, even though he had clearly just witnessed his own answer.

"Yeah well…" He trailed off. "I don't sweat Mello. Guy's just got a hard-on for you."

L stood there quizzically, index finger fish-hooked on his bottom lip.

"Nevermind. Come on, I feel like we're never going to eat."

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Back in Roger's office, the night was growing old, but Roger still couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering Watari. He didn't have the smile he was so accustomed to seeing. Quieter than his normal self. But then, as if becoming aware of his own negative body language, Watari took the initiative to speak up.

"We haven't been entirely forward with you, Roger, and I'm sorry for that."

Roger looked up from his papers, caught off guard. "W-What is it, Quillish?" He squinted slightly and paused. "Is there something about the Nakanishi boy that should be brought to my attention?"

Watari stiffened. He never liked the idea of what he did.

Roger pressed. "Who is he?"

He was an exception, even for them.

"We told him his family was murdered." Watari said.

_His _idea.

"…And?"

Was there an alternative?

"That's not entirely a true statement."


End file.
